We're more than Friends, we're Brothers
by Xtin2000
Summary: -"Ted Mosby? We have you listed as the emergency contact for Barney Stinson." A story of what happened in the episode "Miracles" between this phone call and the group seeing Barney in the hospital. Ted centric.


Disclaimer: Non of the characters or even any of the story line is mine.

* * *

Ted just picked up the phone in the hospital.

„Ted Mosbey, you are listed as the emergency contact for Barney Stinson."

„What, what happened?!" Ted asked bewildered.

„I'm afraid to inform you that Mr. Stinson was in an accident in front of St. Anthony's hospital today and is currently in the ER."

„Wait, which ER?! How is he doing?! How did this happen?!" Ted yelled into the phone.

„He's in ER 20.48. As of yet I cannot inform you of his condition, but if you'd be patient we can call you as soon as we-"

Ted hung up the phone and got out of bed „come on guys, Barney's in the ER, he's been in an accident!" But before he could reach the door on his shaky feet Marshal blocked his way, making it impossible for Ted to pass. „Marshal, what are you doing?! We need to get to Barney!" his head was spinning at this point. This couldn't be happening! What kind of cruel day was this? _Oh Lord, please make sure Barney is alright, please oh please...._

„Ted, do you think it's wise to move around for you-" Marshal began but was interrupted by Ted „Yes it is, I'm fine! It's Barney we need to worry about!"

„Ted, what happened to him," Robin asked in a fearful voice.

„I donno Robin, but I suggest we find out right now!" And finally it sunk in and his friends leaped into action.

„Ted, which room are we looking for?" Lily asked, as the four of them were running down the hallway. „ER 20.48" Ted yelled, running at top speed.

The group came to a halt at the nearest elevator and Ted had to use the wall for support as he was panting for breath. The room started spinning and it took all of Ted's willpower not to collapse. _This must be from the residual concussion_, he thought vaguely. He felt Marshal's supporting hand on his shoulder and looked up into his best friends eyes.

„_Are you saying you don't want to be Bro's anymore?" Barney asked, his eyes radiating the hurt he must have been feeling in that moment. „I'm saying, I don't want to be friends anymore." Ted answered, and with cold eyes he left his friend alone in the dark. Only as he got out of the limo had he realized what he had done, and by that time it was already speeding away and with full force crashing into a cab. „Nooooooooooo!! Barney! Barney, Barney...."_

„Barney, Barney-" „easy Ted, calm down, I've got you, you're safe man, don't worry, I've got you." Marshal was mumbling. Ted opend his eyes and found himself in a seated position on the floor with his legs stretched out in front of him next to the elevator, his concerned friends standing around him and a medic running down the hall towards them.

„What happened guys?" Ted asked confused, looking at all of their faces in turn.

„You passed out for a second, man" It was Marshal answering, who still supported his weight from the back. „We'll check on Barney buddy, you just focus on getting better."

„No Marshal!" Ted yelled with all the strength he could muster. He looked at his friend with pleading eyes as he said „I need to know he's alright, I can't go back."

The medic had arrived at that moment and knelt down next to Ted and Marshal. „Sir, why are you out of bed? Please, you need to rest. I know you were cleared of external injuries, but you were in a car accident non the less, your brain went through a trauma and needs to be stationary for a few hours." he said, while looking Ted over carefully.

„I'm sorry, I guess running wasn't such a good idea, but I really need to get to ER 20.48, a friend of mine has been in an accident and I need to know he's ok."

„Sir, I can let you go, but only when you do not attempt to run anywhere again and there is someone with you at all times," the Medic stated finally.

„I can watch him," Marshal told him „I'll make sure he'll take it easy."

The medic and Marshal exchanged a look after which the former reluctantly nodded. „Fine, go check on your friend Mr. Mosby, but at the first sign of trouble I want you back in your room." And with those words he left.

After breathing deeply a few times Ted got to his feet with Marshal's and Lily's help. „Thanks guys." he said, not letting go of the two until the doors to the elevator opened and they all got in. With all his friends keeping an eye on Ted's every move, their journey to Barney's ER took quite a while. Meanwhile pictures of his friend covered in blood and lifeless flashed before Ted's eyes and he tried with all his might to push them away. The whole group adopted an eerie sort of quiet to them, each one praying with all their heart and soul that Barney would be alright.

As they finally reached the right room they were met by a social worker guarding the door. A black lady in her 40's who noticed the group aproaching. „Is one of you Ted Mosby?" she asked kindly.

„Yes, I am. How's Barney, what's going on?"

„Would you like me to tell you privately?" she asked, eyeing the group.

„No, it's fine, we are all his family, please tell all of us." Ted replied anxiously.

„Fine, please have a seat, the new might shock you." The lady said. Ted's heart skipped a beat at that, but he thankfully sat down on one of the plastic chairs in the hallway. His friends followed suite, all looking expectantly up at the social worker.

„Your friend Mr. Stinson was hit by a bus going into the wrong direction in front of the hospital earlier today." the hearts of all of them gave a horrible sting at that statement.

_O God, he came here to see me, o God, this is my fault, o God-_ Ted thought gravely.

„His sustained injuries are quite severe, albeit he is very lucky, considering the fact that professional help was there only moments after the incident and he was in this ER within 5 minutes. I can't give you any detailed information as I am no physician, but I can assure you that he is receiving the best possible care."

Her speech was followed by a stunned silence from all of them. „How long has he been in there?" Lily asked, looking at the emergency room doors with fear in her eyes.

„It's been about 20 minutes," the lady answered.

Ted leaned forward in his chair and buried his face in his hands, trying to breath deeply. What had he done? How could he let this happen? If something happened to Barney, he vowed then and there that he would never forgive himself.

As if sensing his thoughts, Marshal put a hand on his shoulder, saying quietly „This isn't your fault man, you know that, right?"

With dispair ringing through his entire body Ted forced himself to look into his friend's eyes, desperately willing himself to believe what he had said. „I wish I could believe you Marshal." Ted said dryly, staring at the floor in front of him and interlacing his fingers on his thighs. „But the truth is, if I hadn't treated Barney like crap in the last days, destroying our friendship, this might never have happened. I sent him away, just like that.... some amazing friend I am."

„Come on Ted, don't be so hard on yourself." Marshal said seriously, tightening his grip. „Hey," he said, shaking his friend until Ted looked him in the eye again. „You're an awesome friend Ted, a better one than either me or Barney ever had in our entire lives. You just hit a rough patch with him, but deep down, I know you knew this would only be a matter of time. You're not the kind of person to just throw a friendship away like that. We both know that sooner or later you would have found a way to get things straightened out. And what happened today no one could have ever predicted. It was a terrible freak accident that has nothing to do with you. Ted, what ever happens when that door to the ER opens, what ever kind of news we g-get-" his voice broke at this point „I want you to promise me that you wont blame yourself for what happened." Marshal determinedly looked his friend in the eye even though his own were tearing up.

Swallowing hard Ted rushed to hug his bro tightly, „Thanks Marshal" Ted whispered in a positively weepy voice.

Finally, after what seemed like a year, the door to the ER opened and 3 doctors came out, merrily talking to each other. As they noticed the four friends who simultaneously got up from their seats to look expectantly at them, one of them stated speaking.

„Are you the family of Mr. Stinson?"

Without missing a beat Ted rushed to answer, „yes, yes we are."

„Your friend is a very luck man," the young doctor declared. „Had this accident happened anywhere else than right in front of our doorstep, I would be in a very different mood right now while telling you the news." You could feel the tension in the group easing up just a bit at these words, _Praise the Lord_ were everyone's thoughts „In short he sustained some serious injuries to both his kidneys and his lungs, many ribs were broken, his left shoulder was dislocated on impact and both his legs are broken. He suffered a concussion, a liver trauma and lost a lot of blood. Also his circulatory system was taxed to its limit, which leads me to the assumption that he had done some serious workout right before the accident, like he was running full speed up the hill or something. This didn't exactly help the healing process, but given that not only help but all our equipment and many ounces of donor's blood were immediately available, we were able to stabilize him. I'm very pleased to inform you that Mr. Stinson will make a full recovery."

Ted physically relaxed so much that he fell into the plastic chair behind him, never having noticed that he stood up during the doctor's little speech.

"When can we see him?" Marshal asked hurriedly.

"He's stable and awake right now. Although I would ask you to please don't aggravate him, his body has been through quite an ordeal."

At these words the group pushed passed the doctor rushing into the ER to see their fallen friend. At the first sight of him, all covered in an almost full body cast Ted shuddered. _This can't be happening, this can't be happening. _he thought over and over again.

The first to approach their friend was Lily. "Hey Barney, are you with us?" she asked gently, putting a very cautions hand on his face. At this Barney eyes opened up to look up at her. The look he gave her brought a rush of grief to everyone. He looked so vulnerable and fragile...

"Hey guys. What's up?" he said looking at all of them in turn. As his eyes met Ted's he looked away which gave Ted's stomach a painful lurch.

"Dude, I can't believe you ran all the way up here." Ted said, his voice full of grief.

"Jeez, flatter yourself much. What an ego on this guy. Um, I was up here to attend a very important international business meeting. If you're here to come crawling back just save it, I'm doing awesome without you. And BTW there's one bone downstairs that aint broken. Marshal, you know what I'm talking about. Uptop." He said, moving his right hand which was set upwards, so Marshal could high 5.

"Um, are you sure?" Marshal asked, looking uncertain.

"Yeah, dude, why do you think I had them set it this way." Barney assured him.

"ok" Marshal said and high fived Barney.

"awwwww" came a cry of pain from Barney and then, as he was looking at Ted he said with a pained voice "worth it."

Ted couldn't take it any longer, his tears welled over as he said, "Barney, you... you could have died."

"Ted, I'm sorry I broke the Bro code." Barney said in a totally exposed and vulnerable voice again.

"No, I'm sorry.." said Ted

"Ted, can we be friends again." that did it to Ted and he began openly weeping as he said. "Come on Barney, we're more then friends, we're brothers."

"You're my brother Ted" Barney said sounding cheerful but with tears running down his face.

"You're my brother Barney." Ted said, as he proceeded to hug his friend carefully and cry openly at this point.

"Do you hear that Marshal, we're brother's now." Barney called out.

"Marshal's my brother too." Ted said, waving Marshal over who now also hugged Barney.

"We're all brothers." Marshal exclaimed in a teary voice.

"Yeah, but I'm you're best brother right?" Barney asked.

"You're the best brothers in the world." Ted exclaimed. He held onto Barney and Marshal seemingly for dear life. "Barney I'm so sorry, I'm so very sorry about what I did to you. Thank God you're alright, I would have never forgiven myself had anything happened to you. This is all my fault, I'm so sorry."

"Ted don't."Barney said, not being able to say more because his voice cracked and tears were flowing freely. "Please don't. I love you man and I don't want you blaming yourself. It's my fault, had I not broken the bro code, non of this would have happened. And my blind running into a speeding bus is never any of your fault at all."

"O God Barney, why did you run into that bus?!" Marshal asked brokenly.

"I didn't see it," Barney mumbled, looking away.

"Please don't ever do that again! You're our brother, what the hell are we supposed to do without you?"

"I'm so sorry guys, I'll try to keep the bus hitting to a minimum." All three of them, plus the girls, that kept themselves away from this beautiful and intimate scene were laughing at that.

"I'll take your word for it." Ted said, cheering up a bit, but still hugging Barney.

"Ted, when Lily called me today and told me that you were in an accident, I almost lost it. I kept thinking if I hadn't broken the code this wouldn't have happened. I'm so glad you're alright."

"Let's not speak of it again buddy, it's all over, I forgive you. As long as you forgive me too we never have to mention it again." Ted explained, now holding his Bro's hand and looking into his eyes with all his barriers down.

"There is nothing to forgive dude," Barney said. It was one of the most warm and beautiful moments between the five friends. Lily and Robin now also preceded to hug Barney and each other. The five of them held onto each other for quite a while. They were all so thankful to have one another and that everyone was alive and well.

AN:

I'm happy I finished this today, it's my favorite episode and I had to write a lengthy tag to it. Some part of this is taken from the episode itself, which I am sure you recognized.

I hope you enjoyed it! Please, please leave a review on the way out!


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